Device for varying the directional setting of motor vehicle headlamps

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the inclination of a vehicle headlamp in a vertical plane between two predetermined directional settings to allow for variations in the longitudinal trim of a vehicle under different load conditions, independently of the normal adjustment of the headlamp directional setting. The adjusting screw which controls the rocking movement of the headlamp unit in a vertical plane engages a U-section elastic member which is snap-engageable by suitable elastic deformation into seats provided in the headlamp support plate selectively in two operative positions corresponding to the two predetermined headlamp settings.

United States Patent [1 1 Di Salvo et al.

[ Aug. 14, 1973 DEVICE FOR VARYING TI-IE DIRECTIONAL SETTING OF MOTORVEHICLE IIEADLAMPS [75] Inventors: Salvatore Di Salvo; Mario Coilazuol,both of Turin, Italy [73] Assignee: FIAT Societa per Azioni, Turin,Italy [22] Filed: July 9, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 161,006

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 21, 1970 Italy 53474 8/70[52] US. Cl. 240/41.6, 240/8.1 R [51] int. Cl. F2lv 19/02 [58] Field ofSearch 240/7.1 R, 8.1 R, 240/57, 41.6, 44

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,335 1/1956 Falge240/44 X 3,434,107 3/1969 Pfund 240/44 X 2,920,188 1/1960 Clayton et a1.

3,546,445 12/1970 Marchant 240/57 X 3,594,569 7/1971 Cranmore 240/57 XPrimary Examiner-Donald O. Woodiel Assistant Exun iner-Daniel M. YasichAttorney-Richard C. Sughrue, Robert V. Sloan et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A device for adjusting the inclination of a vehicleheadlamp in a vertical plane between two predetermined directionalsettings to allow for variations in the longitudinal trim of a vehicleunder different load conditions, independently of the normal adjustmentof the headlamp directional setting. The adjusting screw which controlsthe rocking movement of the headlamp unit in a vertical plane engages aU-section elastic member which is snap-engageable by suitable elasticdeformation into seats provided in the headlamp support plateselectively in two operative positions corresponding to the twopredetermined headlamp settings.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEmucMmn 3752.975

SHEET 3 [1F 4 DEVICE FOR VARYING THE DIRECTIONAL SETTING OF MOTORVEHICLE HEADLAMPS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates todevices for varying the directional setting of headlamps in motorvehicles to allow for variations in trim of the vehicle under differ entload conditions.

It is known that with every change in the trim of a vehicle, that is,the angle between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and thehorizontal, in response to variations in the load carried, there is acorresponding variation in the angle to the horizontal of the headlampbeams. This variation has an adverse effect both upon the dipped oranti-dazzle beams, the intensity of which may undergo considerablechange, and also upon the main driving beams, such as possibly to causethe drivers of oncoming vehicles to be dazzled.

An object of this invention is to counter this adverse effect byproviding a device for varying the directional setting of motor vehicleheadlamps simply and quickly to providetwo predetermined directions ofthe headlamps for two different load conditions, independently of thenormal facility for directional adjustment of the headlamps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as aforesaidwhich is of simple and robust construction and economic to manufacture,as well as being simple and practical to use, giving reliable andaccurate setting of a headlamp in said two positions.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a devicefor varying the directional setting of a motor vehicle headlamp tocompensate for variations in the trim of the vehicle under differentloads, the said device comprising two adjusting screws and a fixed pinby means of which a headlamp optical unit is connected to an annularsupport plate adapted to be fixed to thevehicle coachwork, an elasticU-section member adapted to be engaged in seatings in the said supportplate the said memberhaving a portion with which one of the saidadjusting screws engages, which screw controls rocking movement of theheadlamp unit in asubstantially vertical plane, said U-section memberfurther being provided with two adjacent pairs of oppositely disposedseats in which the. support plate may engage selectively to locate thesaid member in two different operative positions relative to the supportplate, corresponding to two different inclinations of the headlamp unitto the horizontal, changeover from one to the other of said operativepositions beingachievable by elastic deformation of the opposite wingsof the said U- section member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS taken along the line III-III of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is another axial section of the headlamp assembly, taken alongthe line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section, taken along the line V--V of FIG.2, showing the device according to the invention in one operativeposition;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross section, similar to FIG 5, showing thedevice according to the invention in another operative position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view from above of the U-section elasticmember of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the said member from below; and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section of the said member, taken along theline IX-IX of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings the optical unit ofa motor vehicle headlamp is indicated generally by 1 and is providedwith a metal peripheral frame 2. Attached to the rear of the frame 2there are three spring metal brackets 3 each of which supports a block 4moulded in plastics material, and provided internally with a sphericalsocket which is open towards the rear.

The headlamp unit I is carried by an annular support plate 5 formed withouter and inner flanges 5a, 5b facing in opposite directions. Thesupport plate 5 is provided with three captive screws 6 by means ofwhich the plate 5 may be fixed to the coachwork of a vehicle in verticalplane. The headlamp unit 1 is connected to the support plate 5 by meansof a fixed pin 7 and two adjusting screws 8, 8'. The two adjustingscrews 8, 8', and the fixed pin 7, are provided with spherical headswhich snap-engage into the sockets of the respective plastics blocks 4carried by the headlamp unit 1.

The fixed connecting pin 7 forms a swivel joint for rocking movement ofthe headlamp and is rivetted to the support plate 5. The adjustingscrews 8, 8' are provided with knurled knobs 10, 10' which havehexagonal end sockets to facilitate rotation of the screws. One of thescrews, 8, engages a, nut 9 formed with spring tongues by means of whichit is snap-engaged with the support plate 5. The other screw, 8',engages an elastic member 11 which forms the main part of the device forthe adjusting of the directional setting of the headlamp according tothe invention.

The first screw 8 is so placed as to cause rocking movement of theheadlamp unit 1 in a substantially horizontal plane, while the secondscrew 8 causes rocking movement in a substantially vertical plane.

As is shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the elastic member 11 comprises a U-sectionstrip moulded in plastics material and has two oppositely disposedresilient wings 12 (FIG. 9) interconnected by a central portion 13. The

central portion 13 is provided on its rear face, between the wings 12,with a tubular appendage 14 having axially extending slots 16 in itswall open at the free end of the appendage 14. The appendage 14 has athrough bore 15 with which the thread of the adjusting screw 8' engages.

The two spring wings 12 are provided at their free ends with outwardlyprojecting lips 17 adjacent which respective outwardly projectingratchet teeth 18 are provided. The teeth 18 are symmetrical with respectto each other, each having a cross-sectional profile in the shape of aright-angled triangle with an inclined face 18a facing towards therespective lip 17. The two wings 12 are further provided with externalappendages 19, connected to the said wings 12 by means of integral heelportions 20, adapted to facilitate hand gripping of the member 11.

On assembly the wings 12 of the member 11 are engaged in two slots orapertures 21 made in the headlamp support plate 5, while the adjustingscrew 8 passes through the bore 15 of the tubular appendage 14 andthrough a hole or aperture in the said support plate to engage in thesocket of the respective block 4 attached to the headlamp unit 1.Between the plate 5 and the central portion 13 of the U-section member11 there is located a helical spring 22 which surrounds the screw 8' andthe tubular appendage 14 of the portion 13.

The outwardly projecting lips 17 of the two Wings 12 form with therespective teeth 18 a first pair of oppositely disposed seats A in whichthe headlamp support plate 5 can engage in a first operative position ofthe headlamp; similarly the teeth 18 form, with the heel portions 20 ofthe appendage 19, a second pair of seats B in which the headlamp support5 can alternatively engage in a second operative position of theheadlamp. Changeover from one operative position to the other iseffected by elastic deformation of the U-section member 11 to cause thesupport plate 5 to engage selectively in the seats A or B, correspondingto two prearranged headlamp beam directions.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the first operative position the supportplate 5 is engaged in the seats A defined between the lips l7 and theteeth 18. In order to change over to the second operative position,illustrated in FIG. 6, it suffices to exert axial pressure upon the knobof the screw 8' in the direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 5; theedges of the support plate 5 ride over the inclined faces of the twoteeth 18, deforming the wings 12 of the U-section member 11, until theplate 5 engages in the seats B between the teeth 18 and the heelportions 20. As a result of this displacement of the screw 8' theheadlamp unit 1 is moved forwards in the region of the respectivebracket 3, and the headlamp beam is tilted downwards.

In order to return to the first operative position from the secondoperative position it is necessary to distort the two wings l2elastically by squeezing the two outer appendages 19 between two fingersin the direction of the arrows Y (FIG. 6) until the teeth 18 aredisengaged from the edges of the support plate 5, afier which the spring22 returns the member 11 to its first position as shown in FIG. 5.

In each of the two aforesaid operative positionsthe screw 8' can berotated in either direction to effect adjustment of the headlamp beamdirection independently of that which can be obtained by displacement ofthe member 11 axially between said two operative positions: the twooperative positions of the member 1 1 correspond respectively to thetrim of the vehicle under two extreme conditions, namely when only thedriver occupies the vehicle and when the vehicle is fully loaded.

It will be appreciated that various embodiments of the invention arepracticable without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly comprising a headlamp optical unit,an annular support plate surrounding said optical unit and connectingmeans for adjustably connecting said optical unit to said support plate,said connecting means including swivel means between said unit and saidplate, aperture means in said support plate, at least one adjustingscrew rotatably secured to said optical unit and an elastic U-shapedmember having a central portion with a bore therethrough and two wingsextending through said aperture means in operative engagement with saidplate, said wings having two adjacent pairs of operatively disposedseats for selective engagement with said support plate to locate saidelastic member in two different operative positions relative to saidsupport plate, said screw being disposed in threaded engagement withsaid bore and extending through said aperture means to adjust theposition of said unit relative to said elastic member and said supportplate, and said elastic member being deformable to permit change overfrom one operative position to the other operative position to obtaintwo different inclinations of said unit relative to said support plate.

2. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid elastic U-shaped member is comprised of a plastics material withtwo wings having respective outer appendages connected to said centralportion by means of transverse heel portions, two outwardly projectinglips at the free ends of said wings and two outwardly projecting opposedteeth on said wings, each tooth having an inclined surface facing towardthe respective lip and the respective teeth defining with said lips andwith said heel portions said two adjacent pairs of oppositely disposedseats in which said headlamp support plate engages selectively in saidtwo operative positions.

3. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 furthercomprising a helical spring surrounding a portion of said adjustingscrew intermediate said support plate-and the central portion of saidelastic member.

s ares:

1. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly comprising a headlamp optical unit,an annular support plate surrounding said optical unit and connectingmeans for adjustably connecting said optical unit to said support plate,said connecting means including swivel means between said unit and saidplate, aperture means in said support plate, at least one adjustingscrew rotatably secured to said optical unit and an elastic U-shapedmember having a central portion with a bore therethrough and two wingsextending through said aperture means in operative engagement with saidplate, said wings having two adjacent pairs of operatively disposedseats for selective engagement with said support plate to locate saidelastic member in two different operative positions relative to saidsupport plate, said screw being disposed in threaded engagement withsaid bore and extending through said aperture means to adjust theposition of said unit relative to said elastic member and said supportplate, and said elastic member being deformable to permit change overfrom one operative position to the other operative position to obtaintwo different inclinations of said unit relative to said support plate.2. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid elastic U-shaped member is comprised of a plastics material withtwo wings having respective outer appendages connected to said centralportion by means of transverse heel portions, two outwardly projectinglips at the free ends of said wings and two outwardly projecting opposedteeth on said wings, each tooth having an inclined surface facing towardthe respective lip and the respective teeth defining with said lips andwith said heel portions said two adjacent pairs of oppositely disposedseats in which said headlamp support plate engages selectively in saidtwo operative positions.
 3. A motor vehicle headlamp assembly as setforth in claim 1 further comprising a helical spring surrounding aportion of said adjusting screw intermediate said support plate and thecentral portion of said elastic member.